A conventional FIB-SEM system includes an electron beam column for directing an electron beam onto a work region and an ion beam column for directing an ion beam onto the work region. Both the electron beam and the ion beam can be scanned over an object that is arranged in the work region. A detector is provided to detect signals that are triggered by the electron beam that is directed onto the sample or by the ion beam that is directed onto the sample. In this way it is possible to scan the ion beam or the electron beam over the object and to assign the signals that are detected during scanning to the instantaneous scanning location of the ion beam or electron beam so as to obtain a particle-microscopic image of the object. It is furthermore possible to remove material from the object using the ion beam. Furthermore, a gas source may be provided to feed a process gas to the work region. Depending on the type of process gas, a chemical reaction can be triggered by the ion beam or electron beam that is incident on the object to remove material from the object or deposit material on it.
FIB-SEM systems are therefore used for structuring and machining miniaturized objects. One example of the use of FIB-SEM systems is the production of TEM samples. TEM samples are thin material samples having a thickness of, for example, 0.05 μm to 0.7 μm and are suitable for being examined using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). TEM samples can be separated out of a material volume that is to be examined by way of an FIB-SEM system.
In the semiconductor industry, for example, demand for separated-out TEM samples is high, which means that a plurality of FIB-SEM systems are operated at the same time there at specific locations. Attempts are being made to optimize the operation of the plurality of FIB-SEM systems with respect to the throughput that is attainable. And yet, the attainable throughput in FIB-SEM systems is considered to be in need of improvement.